Into the Fade
by Falcon-chan
Summary: An adventure following Lavellan as she tries to keep Thedas from falling apart. Along the way she finds romance, friends, and learns who she is. Even if everyone doesn't agree with her methods. Rated M for violent themes and some kissy mush. (It's DA:I; we all know how tragic and wonderful it is) Written in snippets - all in order.


This is a fic I decided to write after obsessing over DA:I and scouring tumblr for weeks months about lore, characters, etc... And well. I got an idea. I've had an idea for **ages**. But finally I found a way to start it, and there's no turning back.

This is only 90% canon. I made a couple alterations, but nothing detrimental to the story line, really. Just stuff altered to make room for my character's story.

I do not own Dragon Age Inquisition or it's characters besides Gwyneria whom I have made up. It all belong's to Bioware.

I hope you do enjoy! As my obsession with Thedas is still going strong, I intend to upload often. I make no promises about timelines, but it's sure as hell not going to be ignored/abandoned. Seriously obsessed here. And salty. Solavellan hell, my friends. Get's my frustration itching. Also Cullen. Seriously. What a cutie.

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 **Into the fade**

Chapter 1: **The Beginning**

Gwyneria still couldn't comprehend how she had gotten herself into this situation. First she was sent off by her keeper to observe humans attempt to make peace - an excuse to get her out of camp no doubt - and then something happened that caused an explosion only she survived. She woke up in chains, is a suspect for the murder of the Divine, and now she was helping her captor kill demons. Yes. Just a typical day in the life of Gwyneria, the pale elf of clan Lavellan that her own people called "monster" behind her back. With her luck, she wouldn't be surprised if she was some sort of aberration. At least the world was ending. There could be no more surprises with the end of the world.

"We are close to the Rift. You can hear them fighting!" came the voice of her captor, Cassandra. It was annoying that Cassandra followed behind her instead of leading. Sure, Cassandra probably had to make sure the prisoner didn't sneak away, but she had no idea where she was supposed to be going!

"Who's Fighting?"

"You will see soon enough. We must help them." Alright. Follow the sounds of battle. That'll get you to where you're going. How lovely, more fighting.

True to Cassandra's word, when they rounded the bend, Gwyneria saw several people fighting just below an outcrop. There were, - surprise surprise - more demons, soldiers, a bald elf, and a dwarf. She had to resist the urge to stare at the short, fiery haired, very muscled man. There was fighting to be had, and she could gawk all she wanted later. Still, what an odd group of people.

Jumping down the outcrop, it wasn't hard for her to drop into a crouch and meld into the shadows with a warrior woman yelling her way into the battle. Cassandra's shield poised and sword ready to strike, she effectively drew the attention of a large majority of the demons. Cassandra was so efficient at drawing attention to herself that she probably wouldn't have had to bother with stealth at all. Silently approving of the courageous woman, Gwyneria jumped out at the nearest demon attacking some human soldier that seemed to be struggling. The black demon _thing_ looked like a giant slug with teeth and claws. No doubt the poor shem was having troubles. After it fell she jumped from demon to demon, finding the rhythm of battle and making devastating blows in the openings her comrades in arms made. A quiet hum of appreciation thrummed through her throat at how seasoned her current allies were, and how easily they fell into correspondence. It didn't take long for the remaining demons to perish. Now, what to do with the giant green light hovering in the air she could only assume was a 'Rift'.

"Quickly! Before more come through!"

Suddenly Gwyneria felt her left arm yanked towards the giant green light and she felt the magic in her body thrum to life and reach out to make a connection with the rift. At first she was terrified at being too close to the thing, but then a moment of euphoria cascaded over her body in song and before she knew it, it was over. Turning her head, she cast a dower look to the elf that had accosted her person without permission then looked back at the rift to see it gone.

"What did you do?" She was having a hard time trying to figure out what to feel. Upset because some stranger had touched her, elated because there was no more scary green thing floating around spewing demons, or sad because the sensation of being whole, so utterly complete and perfect was gone.

"I did noting. The Credit is yours."

She couldn't help but furrow her brows at the elf again before looking at her hand, a garish green mark glowing through the palm of her gloves. "You mean this?"

"Whatever magic opened the breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the breaches wake. And it seems I was correct." Gwyneria eyes studied her hand a moment longer before turning to the elf again. Was he perhaps one of the famed circle mages and had dedicated his life to research and knowledge? It would make sense as to why he was here, anyway. Why fear a powerful mage when the world was threatened?

"Meaning it could also close the breach its self." Piped in Cassandra before Gwyneria could say anything, her voice washed with hope.

"Possibly." The elf said again. Why did he always talk in such a matter of fact way, as if he was all knowing? Even if he was only providing theories. It irked her. "It seems you hold the key to our salvation." _Great._

"Good to know. Here I thought we'd be ass deep in demons forever." Everyone turned to the dwarf then, and Gwyneria couldn't help but be amused by his choice of words.

"Varric Tethras. Rogue, storyteller, occasionally unwanted tag along." He winked at Cassandra then, and the warrior woman scowled in return. She wondered then why he was here. She knew next to nothing about dwarves. "Are you with the Chantry, or..?" she found herself trailing off. Really, she hadn't a clue.

"Is that a serious question?" she heard the bald elf chuckle at her side, and she did her best to ignore him. She had been confused since she woke up in that stupid dungeon all chained up, and he was talking to her like everything should be obvious. Everything _was not_ obvious. And she knew almost nothing about dwarves!

"Technically I'm a prisinor, just like you." Varric continued, ignoring the elf entirely.

"I brought you here to tell your story to the Divine. Clearly that is no longer necessary." Cassandra stated coolly, exchanging stares with the dwarf. Seriously. What the hell was with those two? "Yet here I am. Lucky for you considering current events." he did seem to do very well with that fancy crossbow he was using. Lucky indeed.

"It's good to meet you, Varric." It surprised her to realize that her sentiment felt true as already she was endeared to the stocky man. He had spunk and lightened the mood despite the horrible demonic circumstances.

"You may reconsider that stance, in time." Really, she was just entirely out of her depth. Was this elf being stuck up or trying to joke? Did everybody hate the cheeky dwarf? "Awww. I'm sure we'll become great friends in the valley, Chuckles." 'Chuckles'? Gwyneria tried to hide a grin she knew Varric caught sight of, his eyes glinting in mirth.

"Absolutely not." sighed Cassandra, still managing to sound resolute. "Your help is appreciated, Varric-"

"Have you been in the valley lately, seeker? Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me." He had a point.

"UGH."

Gwyneria was going to turn to follow Cassandra but stopped to turn to the elf again when he spoke. "My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. I'm pleased to see you still live." Ah. Pride. That somehow made sense.

"He means 'I kept that mark from killing you while you slept'." Oh, so she was some experiment that had succeeded. That's why he looked so happy when he looked at her. She had originally thought it was because she could possibly close the breach. That was probably a part of it, though. "You seem to know a great deal about it all." Weren't circle mages supposed to be scared of the Fade and demons?

"Like you, Solas is an apostate." Oh, there went that theory. Perhaps this Solas wasn't some Circle mage mastermind trying to destroy the world with the rest of the blasted mages and templars. Well. The latter part wasn't disproved anyway. Not yet.

"Technically all mages are now apostates, Cassandra." True. Though seeming as it was a recent event, the titles still helped bring clarity to certain situations. He turned back to Gwyneria and went on to explain himself. "My travels have allowed me to learn much of the fade; far beyond the experience of any circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give for the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed regardless of origin." So he did want it closed. Damn. It would have been so much easier to dislike him if he was trying to kill everyone. So, what was his motive? How could she find out without directly confronting him? "And what will you do once this is over?"

"One hopes those in power will remember who helped and who did not." Well, that didn't give away as much as she had hoped. "Cassandra, you should know, the magic involved here is unlike any I have seen. Your prisoner is a mage, but I find it difficult to imagine any mage having such power." Wait. What?

"Understood. We must get to the forward camp quickly." Cassandra took the lead and jumped over another outcrop created by rubble, Solas following quickly behind.

Gwyneria stayed rooted to the ground, brows furrowed and mouth slightly agape as she stared after Solas' back.

"Well, Bianca's excited!"

Normally Varric's comment would have been amusing. But nothing about anything was normal. There was a giant hole in the sky, she was fighting demons with a seeker, a know it all clan-less elf, a dwarf, and she was the worlds salvation. But most of all, she was a mage.

"What. What did you say?" she called after them, voice hitching. They turned to look at her with confused expressions and she felt suddenly like a fist was closing in around her lungs. With shallow breaths, she found her voice shaky when she asked them more clearly. "Why did you say I was a mage?"

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Alright. So. That's that. It's been ages since I've written anything, but I'm satisfied.

Do the thing!


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